Help Defeat Doolittle

One of the most corrupt members of the Republican congress of corruption is in trouble. John Doolittle (CA-4) is probably going to end up indicted for his relationships with Jack Abramoff and Brent Wilkes, but more to the point he might even lose his seat in congress.

Doolittle's challenger in the CA-4 race, Democrat Charles Brown has closed to within 2% points of the scandal plagued Doolittle. Brown, a military veteran who served in Vietnam and the first Gulf War, got a boost today when the regions only major newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, endorsed him for the job. The Bee's endorsement has a concise summary of why Doolittle must go.

Doolittle is emblematic of what's wrong in Washington -- all-too-cozy relations among lobbyists, politicians, their spouses and staffers.

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Doolittle and his wife are caught up in a troubling web of relationships.

From 2002 to 2004, Julie Doolittle was paid more than $66,000 by Abramoff's lobbying firm Greenberg Traurig. Roll Call newspaper showed those payments coincided with the time Doolittle intervened in matters for Abramoff's Indian clients.

Doolittle pays his wife a 15 percent commission on contributions that come to his political committees, totaling nearly $180,000 from 2003 to April of this year, with more to come in this election cycle. This is money that goes directly to Doolittle family income -- turning political contributions into personal gain.

Doolittle is open about his winning $37 million in earmarks for San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes for products not requested by the military. From 2002 to 2005, Doolittle received $118,000 in political contributions from Wilkes, his family and partners.

The people of the 4th District deserve better from a congressman.

Nobody deserves to be "represented" by a greedy, corrupt tool, whose primary purpose is to create legislation that ensures that the flow of campaign funds from lobbyists and those they represent never stops flowing. And, that is who John Doolittle is and who he represents.

Want to read more about Doolittle's web of corruption, check out Dump Doolittle.

More important, send Charlie Brown some cash so he can go after Doolittle and his multi-million dollar political machine.